Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Yesterday was the first of many appointments for the pancreas transplant. I had to be at the hospital at 6:30am, which meant getting up at 5am. I am not a morning person by any means! The first test was a cardiac PET, a nuclear test meant to view my heart. The tried three times to get an IV in so they could infuse a radioactive tracer and medication to put my heart in stress chemically. Finally, the test was over and I had 5 minutes to get to my endocrine appointment that was what felt like miles away. Of course, I had two heavy bags of paperwork and things to do in case I had spare time. That certainly slowed me down. While the doctor let me know that my diabetes could be more in control, she also stated that I was the poster child for a pancreas transplant. I then met with the social worker, who didn't really have many questions and was more reviewing notes from his last meeting with me, almost a year before my kidney transplant. He seemed mostly concerned with if I still lived with the cats, than my living situation now, which to me, seems more important given that this is where I will be recovering and that I'm living with a two year old and boyfriend. Hmmm... I was supposed to go to Northeastern and clear up my tuition issues (I'm still appealing charges from my kidney transplant but I am getting no where) but I was just too tired and given that my day was over at 1:30pm with nothing to eat, I decided brunch was more important. After all, I am going back on Friday.

On a very happy note, CONGRATUALTIONS to April and Rob Agnew who just had a baby boy! I wish them health, happiness,love and laughter, as I do wish for all my friends!

I visited Mandy and Ted at the Rushforth's the other night. Mandy will be here until Sept 5th.Hey girls- is the chick lit book club still a go?

Thursday, August 17, 2006

It has been very quiet here at mini storage this week. I did catch a turtle crossing the street today. There are also 10 geese that swim in one of the man-made water bodies that abutts the property. It's weird though, because of the way noise travels down here, it always seems like someone is right outside. The dog thinks so too. He barks at nothing then settles back into his chair in front of thewindow where he naps and suns himself all day. Not one person came in today. Kevin came in but he doesn't really count. Tomorrow my goal is to finish my class work from ummm..., June. I guess I really should complete it before I start school again. I've been surfing the web considering employment (part time, maybe) in some colleges. I think that is the best environment for me and since I can't be a student forever, maybe I should pursue a career in the school environment. Who knows.I have given up my search for my lost flash drive. I figure if I give up on it, it will mysteriously reappear. It has the only version of my CV on it. Luckily, I was smart enough to print a hard copy, but with each copy it loses integrity. Yuck!Okay, more of nothing tomorrow!

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

You can expect that I will be posting more this week since I am working at the storage place all week. It rained today so there weren't many customers, though Nana and Papa came for a visit and some computer tutorials. My brother Chris just passed in a loader clearing out one of the empty units.I visited Carrie yesterday in Weymouth. SHe has lost about 20 pounds from her surgery and it is noticeable in her face and upper body. She seems to be doing well with the pain, although she still can't look at the scar, which ended up just being a straight line alittle offcenter from midline. Her apartment is cute. I dressed her wound and made her bed, since she had trouble with it. Then we went to Walmart (I'm all for employing disabled people, but putting a retarded lady in a cashier position in the express lane is not good resource management and is setting her up for failure, where is a CRC when you need one?) and Stop and Shop for food.I ran into my granfather this morning. He informed me that my Aunt was mad at him.He was relutant to tell me why- "I got in trouble with her." Apparently, my 78 year old Harley riding grandfather went on a date with a 46 year old lady/ "broad". I told him to keep her out of his wallet and not to change the will and everyone would be happy. I was afraid it may be Kevin's siter, apparently this chick is one of her friends that he met at the Dunkin Donuts hang out. I'm glad that he is socializing because for a while he was shut in and so lonely. I told him to be smart but to have fun. I know my grandmother wouldn't want him to spend his final days mourning her. I tell you though, Papa Joe is likely to outlive me!I got my credit report to day and it stinks, but I found a few items that shouldn't be there. I also got a creditor letter for an account I never had in a variation of my name. I was almost going to throw it in my "oh well..." pile but it just seemed wrong. Sure enough, it is.I just read some bad creditor practices on MSN news which prompted me to look. I guess that shows the importance of staying on top of your information. More later...

Saturday, August 12, 2006

MEET MY DOCTORS: THIS IS DR. STEFAN TULIUS- He's the man that did the kidney and will do the pancreas.

THIS IS DR. KATHRYN TINCKAM- Love her! Also known as Dr. Kidney. I just knew she was the right doctor for me- sporting her Tiffany Beans. She has been seeing me at the kidney clinic and will follow me through the pancreas process.

I am shameful blogger. I thought for sure I had posted last week during my selfstorage stint but apparently I was swept up by HG TV. I have a bunch of days scheduled to cover people here next week - 45 hour work week, which is a lot for me! Needless to say, while the money isn't something I could live on, it does defray my costs as gasoline is $3.05 a gallon here. Carrie is at her Aunt's house and reports that things are going well post-surgery. She is having the same issue I had with healing in reverse and needs her dressing packed. I told her I can help around my work schedule. I was going to have to work on Monday, but they didn't need me so I can help her. My mom and Big D are going on their 20th anniversary/annual trip to Ogunquit, Maine. Kevin's sister is going away that week as well. Kevin hasn't looked for a babysitter yet. My dad gave him some business- first stripping and waxing the office floors in the main office- they haven't ever been done according to my memory and the building has been around for some twenty plus years. Then he is going to clean the office monthly. Business has been picking up, which makes him much less stressed.The doctors started me on a new medication- Avelox. It seems that one of my old medications prescribed for the chronic wound/bone infection I have post-lung transplant is no longer.(The lung infection I had in my CF lungs seeded my bones when I was cracked in half and they were digging out the old puffers. It has stayed in my bones and I take meds to prevent the infection from taking over.) Yup, Tequin was pulled off the market because it causes irratic blood sugars- gee, that sounds familiar, my question is: why does it take 6 years to figure out that thsi is a problem. I mean, they pulled it off the market, forchissakes!Apparently, though the Avelox is not quite perfect either. I broke into HIVES after two sips of wine. I have had all the typical digestive problems: nausea, the poops, etc, I have had a rapid heartbeat too. It makes me dizzy and drowsy, yet I can't sleep. It can also cause liver trouble so I have to have function tests and an EKG to be sure I have a baseline measure. I have a bunch of doc appointments coming up to get the pancreas evaluation going. I have to see a neurologist, an opthamologist, the endocrinologist, the gynecologist. i have to have an EKG, a cardiac PET, and some other radiologic studies. We are talking tons of bloodwork here on top of it! Oh well, i guess I really can't complain. I have been a more compliant diabetic but the idea of all these tests and recovery and relationship issues makes me anxious- not jump off the roof/slit your wrists anxious or depressed, just a constant buzzing, thinking about it.So one may think that nothing exciting happens at the self-storage office- boy, would you be wrong: read below!Cops find 2 more weapon stockpiles; Charges against Kingston man may be soughtBy KAREN GOULARTThe Patriot Ledger

KINGSTON - A Kingston man who kept an arsenal of weapons in a Pembroke storage facility had stockpiled more guns, knives and ammunition at his home and in a rented storage unit in Kingston.

Kingston police detectives and Pembroke police yesterday searched a home at 14 Mountain Ash Drive, the last known address of 47-year-old Donald Govoni, as well as a storage unit he rented at Storage King on Marion Drive.They were looking for more weapons and they found them.

Kingston and Pembroke police have said they plan to seek charges against Govoni for improper storage of firearms. They are also considering several counts of illegal possession of weapons, depending on whether Govoni has licenses for the guns.Among the items seized yesterday were two semi-automatic handguns, two shotguns, an AR-15 assault rifle, three rifles, nine switchblade knives and 3,558 rounds of ammunition.

Kingston police Detective Sgt. Robert Wells said Govoni does not have a current firearms license and therefore is in violation of the law.Mountain Ash Drive is located in Town and Country Mobile Estates, a quiet, well-kept community for people 55 and older.

Police said Govoni’s parents had lived in the home but both died several years ago. They believe it has been more than a year since Govoni occupied the house.Govoni’s whereabouts are unclear.Pembroke police began looking for Govoni on Friday after workers at Stor-It Mini Warehouses reported finding what appeared to be a bazooka in a storage unit.Workers at the Pembroke warehouse stumbled across some of the arsenal while clearing out Govoni’s three storage units for failure to pay rent.Police returned to Stor-It on Monday with a search warrant and found an array of weapons and ammunition, including a rocket launcher, two Uzi-like guns, silencers and a variety of gun parts.

Jim Dickey, a worker hired to help clean out the storage units, said Govoni showed up there last Thursday and asked the owner not to throw away his belongings.Dickey said Govoni had rented space there for more than a decade and was known to spend hours locked inside the largest of the three rooms.

In addition to the weapons, workers said they found old periodicals, some belonging to the Duxbury Free Library, photos of assault rifles and notes complaining about his boss yelling at him for continually showing up late for work.

Boulter said an initial background check on Govoni turned up no criminal history. Gun purchase records showed some of the firearms found in Pembroke were purchased in 1983 when Govoni was properly licensed. His Massachusetts license lapsed in 1995.

Karen Goulart may be reached at kgoulart@ledger.com .Copyright 2006 The Patriot LedgerTransmitted Thursday, August 10, 2006Well, needless to say when I heard this first on the evening news I was intrigued, but it wasn't until later that I put two and two together. This wacked out fellow ALSO has a storage unit with US!!!!! Ohmygod! So Thursday, I went down to get my check and tell Deb S., the manager, what I had heard. She called Dad and Anne (and wondered why did I wait until 5pm?) The guy is in arrears but what were we to do legally? The story continues to unfold, but it doesn't look like any guns are here. That's the big story here for the week!

About Me

Welcome to the blog of Dr. Jill Balboni. (It took a lot of work to earn that title!) This blog is my very personal account of life as I know it, or rather how to live life each day in celebration, despite what the world has tossed you way. For me,this means getting up every morning and coping with the challenges of cystic fibrosis,a double lung transplant, diabetes, kidney transplant, etc. These are not complaints, but rather components. It is all a matter of framing! It's about my family, my friends, my dog, and random musings that strike me alng the way!
We are all saddled with our own "stuff," let me help you make sense of it, organize it and integrate it into your life. There is so much to learn. I know that I am not the expert in everything, but I probably have a strategy to finding the solution to your problem, the answer to your question, or I know where to go to get help.
Just what the doctor ordered!